


Those you’ve known and lost still walk behind you

by swallowthewhale



Series: Lemon Dreams [46]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-01
Updated: 2019-05-01
Packaged: 2020-02-10 16:50:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18664429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swallowthewhale/pseuds/swallowthewhale
Summary: Cisco gets back to Earth 1 and finds 7 missed calls. He goes running to find Caitlin.Post-episode 519 Snow Pack





	Those you’ve known and lost still walk behind you

Cisco has seven missed calls on his phone when he breaches back to Earth 1. He hasn’t quite figured out his inter-Earth cell phone modifications yet, so his phone buzzes with the missed call notifications one after the other, Caitlin, then Iris, then Barry, Barry, Barry, Barry, Barry. Cisco listens to Barry’s voicemail as he searches for his Vibe goggles in the mess on his workbench.

 

_“Cisco, you need to come back now. It’s- it’s Caitlin’s dad, he’s back. And, um, Caitlin’s missing. We’re going to find her, just- ah- just get back here okay? Caitlin needs you.”_

 

Cisco abandons the search for his goggles and sprints to the Cortex. Empty. Hissing under his breath, Cisco grabs Caitlin’s Star Labs sweatshirt off the back of her chair and closes his eyes. Caitlin and her mom come into focus in a haze of blue, sitting and laughing in a restaurant. Cisco relaxes even as he frowns in confusion. He walks back to his workshop to find his phone and call Barry.

 

“What happened?” Cisco asks when Barry picks up.

 

“She’s fine,” Barry answers.

 

Cisco rolls his eyes. “I know, but what happened?”

 

Barry explains while Cisco finds his goggles. Cisco cuts him off when he starts rambling about Nora.

 

“Okay, Barry, I know you’re worried, but Nora is not my top priority right now.” Maybe it’s comes off a little too sharp, and maybe Barry sounds a little wounded, but Cisco can apologize later. Right now, he needs to find Caitlin.

 

Caitlin opens her door on the first knock. Her hair is falling out of its curls and her lipstick is nearly gone, but her heels are still on and Cisco can see her purse on the hallway table.

 

“Hi,” Cisco says.

 

Caitlin lets him in. “Hi.”

 

“I’m sorry I wasn’t here.”

 

She shrugs. “You were on Earth 19.”

 

Cisco nods and holds out his arms for a hug. She doesn’t hesitate. 

 

“I’m sorry about your dad, Cait,” Cisco whispers into her hair.

 

She squeezes tighter. “Me too,” her voice is shaking now, and Cisco knows it’s only a matter of time before the strong, shiny facade broke down. “I had just gotten him back.”

 

Caitlin doesn’t cry then. Instead she pulls back, eyes just a little watery, and they order takeout. She doesn’t cry during the movie, or after when Cisco breaches over to Earth 14 for ice cream, or while they talk late into the night about her dad. She cries in the middle of the night, awake on the couch long after Cisco had fallen asleep. She doesn’t try to hide it, because she knows that Cisco will wake up and hold her, and they will both take comfort in the shared pain of so many losses. And in the morning he’ll make her breakfast, and Caitlin will start to grieve. 

 


End file.
